GRECO ERNIE is a collection of 18 Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Yiddish, and Ukrainian/Russian instrumental folk tunes. This project is a continuation of what was started in ERNIE'S OTTOMAN where Ernie traveled from Egypt, through Lebanon, Turkey, and into Russia. In GRECO ERNIE, Ernie travels from Russia and the Ukraine, into Greece, Hungary, and Poland. The Gypsies and Yiddish were primarily responsible for this rich music and Ernie is pleased to bring it to you via the Gypsy Guerrilla Band. Total album time is 56 minutes and 30 seconds. Enjoy!
The Gypsy Guerrilla Band
Jim Lillquist...hammered dulcimer and percussion
Joyce Lillquist...chorded zither
Jim Hancock...guitar and acoustic bass
Guest Guerrillas
Bob Bielefeld...silver flute, fife, and saxophone
Malcolm Smith...fiddle
Antonio Albarran...darrabuke
The Music
O Yanis-Greek Zeimbekiko (hammered dulcimer, chorded zither, fiddle, bass, and drum)
A tricky rhythm here for Western ears. "O Yanis" is in 9/8 counted as:
dumtuk tukdum tuk
dumtuk tukdum dum tuk
Antonio Albarran has the groove under control while Malcolm Smith plays a Greek Oriental-Rebetica on the fiddle. -4:10-
Fragosyriani-Greek Hasapiko (hammered dulcimer, flute, guitar, chorded zither, and bass)
We have seen some older men get down with a glass of uzo (Greek fire) balanced on their head when we play this popular wedding tune. -3:02-
Gesi Za Woda-Polish Kujawiak (hammered dulcimer, guitar, and chorded zither)
Actually the Gypsy Guerrilla Band changed the intended rhythm and made this piece into a lovely waltz reminiscent of a small corner cafe in old Poland. -3:06-
Haniotiko-Greek Keitiko Syrto (hammered dulcimer, chorded zither, bass, and darrabuke)
This tune has seven parts with the last two going into a major key. Jim plays the darrabuke as well as the hammered dulcimer on this piece. -3:48-
Sertze Tango-Russian Tango (hammered dulcimer, chorded zither, guitar, bass, and flute)
The "Sertze (or Heart) Tango" is a European tango and is not to be confused with the Argentinean tango which uses a different rhythm. The melody starts in E minor with the second section going to E major and is typical of many Eastern European tangos. -3:40-
Odessa Bulgar-Yiddish Bulgar (hammered dulcimer, flute, chorded zither, guitar, bass, woodblock, and My-T siren)
The Gypsy Goyrrilla Band plays this Yiddish tune from Russia about as fast as possible. Jim was happy, he got to play the woodblock and blow the siren. -3:18-
Laterna-Greek Hasapiko (hammered dulcimer, chorded zither, and guitar)
Here the Gypsy Guerrilla Band trio plays a slower, straighter dance in 2/4. Uzo anyone? -4:08-
If You Leave Me, Do Not Return/Most Keszdodik A Tánc-Hungarian Helgato and Friska medley (hammered dulcimer, flute, chorded zither, and guitar)
The second tune translates to "Now Starts the Dance." Jim Hancock says that helgato means love song and that friska means after the love song. -3:00-
Baym Rebin's Sude-Yiddish Khosidl (hammered dulcimer, fiddle, chorded zither, and guitar)
This tune is in the traditional Yiddish Ahava Raba mode. Ahava Raba is similar to the mixolydian mode of A harmonic minor, if there is such a thing. "Baym Rebin's Sude" is a beautiful tune and the Gypsy Guerrilla Band treats it with respect. -5:07-
Greco Barrio-(c)1992 Sunshine Company (hammered dulcimer, chorded zither, guitar, and bass)
Jim brought out the white handkerchief on this, his interpretation of a Greek tune from the neighborhood. "Greco Barrio" is sometimes performed with Deante Fettucini (Jim Ellis) playing the bass part at the same time and on the same hammered dulcimer as Jim Lillquist. Deante, however, was in Italy researching music for the next Ernie project and was not available for this recording. "OPA!" -3:34-
Husia Siusia-Polish Polka (hammered dulcimer, saxophone, chorded zither, guitar, and bass)
Bob Bielefeld shows his saxpertise on this typically Polish polka. -3:02-
Pij, Bracie, Pij-Polish Waltz (hammered dulcimer, guitar, chorded zither)
This is actually a popular German drinking song called "Trink Brüderlein" that we found in a Polish club date book. -2:56-
Szep Vagy-Gyönyörü/Czüreti Tanc- Hungarian Helgato and Friska medley (hammered dulcimer, fiddle, chorded zither, and guitar)
The title of the first piece translates to "You Are Pretty-Beautiful". The second tune, sometimes referred to as the "Hungarian Czardas," begins with Malcolm Smith on the fiddle and is a very popular tune in the Gypsy repertoire -4:30-
Tantz, Tantz, Yidelekh-Yiddish Khosidl (hammered dulcimer, flute, fiddle, guitar, chorded zither, and bass)
We learned this and other klezmer tunes from the book The Compleat Klezmer by Henry Sapoznik. According to Mr. Sapoznik, "Dance, Dance, Jews" is the traditional precursor to the modern melody "Hava Nagila". The Gypsy Guerrilla Band certainly enjoys this tune and will play it for any party, wedding, or bar mitzvah. -3:38-
O Menousis-Greek Epirotiko Tsamiko (hammered dulcimer and guitar)
"O Menousis" is a slow, hypnotic tune in 3/4 with the guitar emphasizing the 1st and 2nd beats. -3:16-
Bartoszu-Polish Kracoviak (hammered dulcimer, fife, chorded zither, and guitar)
This is a folk dance that has a similar sound to the polka but isn't. -2:15-
Produced by
Sunshine Company
930 SW Feather Lane
Fort White, FL 32038
(c)( 1994 Sunshine Co.
All Rights Reserved.
GECD 109
GRECO ERNIE
Recorded and Digitally Mixed at
Lone Star Studio in Austin, Texas.
Recording Engineers...Joe Gracey and Jim Watts
Mixing Engineer...Jim Watts
Digitally Edited and Mastered at
STASIS in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Engineer...Don Gates
Produced by Jim Lillquist
Cover Art by Joyce Lillquist
Layout by Sunshine Company
All tunes are traditional and in the public domain
except GRECO BARRIO (c) 1993 Sunshine Company.
All arrangements are (c) 1994 Sunshine Company.
GRECO ERNIE (c) ( 1994 Sunshine Company
Distributed by Sunshine Company
930 SW Feather Lane
Fort White, Florida 32038-2216
Please help support the band by purchasing
and not copying this product. Thanks!
GRECO ERNIE
Featuring Jim Lillquist and
the Gypsy Guerrilla Band
1. O Yanis 4:10
2. Fragosyriani 3:02
3. Gesi Za Woda 3:06
4. Haniotiko 3:48
5. Sertze Tango 3:40
6. Odessa Bulgar 3:18
7. Laterna 4:08
8. If You Leave Me, Do
Not Return and
Most Keszdodik A Tánc 3:00
9. Baym Rebin's Sude 5:07
10. Greco Barrio 3:34
11. Husia Siusia 3:02
12. Pij, Bracie, Pij 2:56
13. Szep Vagy-Gyönyörü
and Czüreti Tanc 4:30
14. Tantz, Tantz, Yidelekh 3:38
15 O Menousis 3:16
16 Bartoszu 2:15